1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to towing apparatus for utility vehicles and more specifically to an off center hitch, which can align an oversize towed farm machine with a utility vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
When using farm machinery to work a farm, it is advantageous to tow a number of farm machines such as haybines, finishing mowers, balers and rakes in an offset relationship to each other behind a tractor rather than towing the various machines in alignment one behind the other. This offset relationship allows the farmer to cover more area in a single pass which clearly results in a saving of time and fuel. However, there is a need to transport the farm machines over public roads to other farms for use. Because the hitches on the farm machines are off set to allow the machines to be towed in an offset relationship to cover more ground when being used, the conventional method of towing a farm machine with an off set hitch over public roads when going to a new location results in the towed farm machine taking up a major part of a second lane. This can be a major traffic safety hazard, particularly on a winding two lane highway.
One problem is that the towing vehicle can experience difficulty in maintaining control when traveling on a two lane road that has many turns, dips and rises. Another problem is that the offset relationship of the towed machine relative to the towing vehicle can prevent the towing vehicle from maintaining a straight path without compensating for the off center pull that is applied to the rear of the towing vehicle.
Various hitches have been proposed in an attempt to allow the towing vehicle to travel along winding two lane highways while towing a relatively wide farm machine with a hitch that is offset. However, these hitches have not been fully successful in solving the various problems that are associated with towing relatively wide farm machines that have a hitch that is not centered.
What is disclosed is an off set hitch which quickly and easily allows a person to align towed equipment, such as a farm machine with an off set hitch with the towing vehicle without changing or modifying the off set hitch on the farm machine being towed. Alignment of a farm machine having an off set hitch with a towing vehicle is obtained by providing the towing vehicle with a hitch that is offset in the opposite direction.